Tag: 2025

PRESS RELEASE : Two new Non-Executive Board Members appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 2 May 2025.

The Secretary of State has appointed Jude Kelly and Janet Pope as Non-Executive Board Members for terms of three years from 23 April 2025 to 22 April 2028.

Jude Kelly

Jude Kelly CBE is an internationally acclaimed creative leader who has founded and steered some of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, arts festivals, charities, and outreach programmes. A pioneer for social progress, Jude is renowned for championing inclusion, gender equality and diversity. She is the former Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre , founder Artistic Director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse ( now Leeds Playhouse) and the Founder and current Head of Global Advisory of WOW – Women of the World which runs festivals and programmes in many parts of the UK including Bradford, Durham, Hull, Manchester Rotherham and internationally in 26 countries . Jude has directed over 200 theatre and opera productions, led the Culture programme for the London Olympic and Paralympic 2012 bid and was a Cultural Leader in Residence for the World Economic Forum 2024. She is the eighth Master of St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, a Board member of Creative UK and cultural adviser to The Eden Project. She is the inaugural Chair of One Creative North.

Janet Pope

Janet Pope is currently Chair of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank and Environment and Social Purpose Committee Chair at Yorkshire Building Society. She is also a Trustee at StepChange, the debt advisory charity. Janet recently retired from her role as Chief of Staff and Chief Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group where she was a Group Director for more than ten years and previously Savings Director. Her earlier roles include CEO Alliance Trust Savings, EVP Strategy at Visa and Retail Banking Director (Africa) at Standard Chartered Bank. Janet’s previous non-executive roles include board roles at the Banking Standards Board and government audit committee roles at DCLG and ODPM. Janet read Economics at the LSE and holds an MSc Economics and MBA from London University.

As well as sitting on the Departmental Board, Janet has been appointed to chair the Department’s Audit and Risk Committee.

Remuneration and Governance Code

These roles receive an annual remuneration of £15,000 per annum (£20,000 for Audit and Risk role). These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.

Jude Kelly has declared that she is a member of The Labour Party and canvassed on their behalf at the last general election. Janet Pope has declared that she was a Labour Councillor for the London Borough of Camden from 1986-1990, Chair of Camden Town with Primrose Hill Branch of Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2021-2023 and from 2024 she is currently Treasurer of Camden Central branch Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2024

DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations) including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. DCMS is committed to ensuring that the boards of public bodies benefit from a range of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives, and welcome applications from across the country. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply for a role visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.

May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Response to arbitration tribunal final report – UK-Sandeel [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 May 2025.

UK Government statement on the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal’s final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case.
- The UK Government has received the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal’s final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case.
- While the UK succeeded in the majority of its arguments, the Tribunal identified a procedural error in the decision to close English waters.
- The ruling does not mean the UK is legally obliged to reverse the closure of English waters, and the decision to close Scottish waters was fully upheld.
- The government will undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance.
The sandeel Arbitration Tribunal has published its final ruling.

This relates to decisions taken in March 2024 by the UK and Scottish Governments to close our North Sea Waters to sandeel fishing. The decisions were taken to protect vulnerable seabird populations and support the wider marine environment.

In April 2024, the EU launched dispute proceedings to challenge the closures. In October 2024, the EU referred the challenge to an arbitration tribunal to rule on the dispute.

The report found that the UK successfully demonstrated that the measures taken to close English and Scottish waters were based on the best available science and had sufficient regard to the principle of non-discrimination. The tribunal also found that the Scottish measures had sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality.

The Tribunal found that during the decision-making process to close English waters to sandeel fishing, the UK did not have sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality, specifically in relation to EU rights during the adjustment period – a requirement under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

The government will now undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance.

There is no legal obligation for the UK to reverse the closures while the compliance process takes place, and the report does not indicate that compliance must require reversing the closures.

A government spokesperson said:

We welcome the clarity provided by this decision, and we will undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance on the specific issues raised by the Tribunal.

The ruling does not mean the UK is legally obliged to reverse the closure of English waters, and the decision to close Scottish waters was fully upheld.

We remain committed to protecting our seabirds and the wider marine environment, in accordance with our commitments to the TCA and other international agreements.

Disputes and the use of resolution mechanisms are a normal part of a mature relationship with international partners. We will continue to act in the national interest as we work towards a strong and lasting partnership with our European neighbours.
May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Solicitor General’s intervention leads to increase in sex offender’s sentence [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 2 May 2025.

A sex offender who sexually assaulted multiple young women and girls has had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP intervened.

Robert Emmerson, 40, from Manchester, had his four-and-a-half years sentence increased to seven years with a further three on licence after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The court heard that between 6 November 2023 and 15 April 2024, Emmerson committed five separate sexual assaults and seven acts of exposure against 11 girls and young women in central Manchester and Wythenshawe areas.

The victims said that Emmerson’s attacks took place in broad daylight and that they were “shocked” and “terrified” with some noting that he was smiling throughout.

The court also learned that Emmerson has a history of sexual offences, with previous convictions for indecent exposure and stalking. Some of his victims were schoolgirls.

Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

I was sickened and angered to read of the offenders’ numerous sexual assaults against women and young girls His increased sentence clearly shows that sex offenders will be brought to justice and face the penalty they deserve.

This government is committed to halving violence against women and girls in a decade as part of the Plan for Change and this increased sentence will keep predators like Emmerson off our streets. My thoughts today are with the young women attacked by Emmerson.

On 30 January 2025, Emmerson was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court for four years and six months for five counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of exposure. He also received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and is subject to indefinite notification requirements.

On 1 May 2025, his sentence was increased to seven years with a further three on licence after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UKHSA publishes new analysis of health inequalities in England [May 2025]
The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 2 May 2025.

Data shows current state of health inequalities caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards.

As part of its commitment to achieving equitable health security outcomes for everyone, the UK Health Security Agency is publishing (Friday 2 May) comprehensive new data, the Health Inequalities in Health Protection report. The report provides a high-level summary of the current state of health inequalities in England caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards.

The analysis mainly uses hospital admissions as a measure of infectious disease levels; key findings include:
- people living in the 20% most deprived areas in England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital due to infectious diseases than the least deprived
- those living in the North-West are 30% more likely to be hospitalised for an infectious disease (3,600 per 100,000 admissions for Sept 23-Aug 24), compared to the England average (2,800 per 100,000)
- areas of high levels of deprivation typically experience higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas
- the scale of inequalities between ethnic groups varies by specific disease. For example, emergency admission rates for tuberculosis were 29 times higher for ‘Asian other ‘, 27 times higher for ‘Indian’ and 15 times higher for ‘Black African’, compared to ‘White British’
- As well as the costs to the social, physical and mental health of our communities, it was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23.
People living in deprived communities experience higher emergency hospital admission rates, compared to the least deprived communities; the data show these are:
- twice as high for respiratory diseases in general and up to seven times higher specifically for tuberculosis and six times higher for measles.
- twice as high for invasive infections in general, and up to 2.5 times higher specifically for sepsis
- 1.7 times higher for gastrointestinal diseases
People from more deprived areas are also disproportionately impacted by radiation, chemical, climate and environmental hazards through their exposure, direct impact on their health, and the exacerbation of existing health conditions. Areas with high levels of deprivation typically have higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas.

Dr Leonora Weil, Deputy Director for Health Equity and Inclusion at UKHSA said:

The report reveals some stark facts on the state of inequalities in health security faced by some people, in particular those living in the most deprived communities and certain areas of the country, some ethnic groups, as well as excluded groups such as those experiencing homelessness.

These health protection inequalities – where there are poorer health outcomes based on where you live, your socio-economic status or ethnicity are avoidable, pervasive, and preventable. That is why it is so important to shine a light on these findings to increase action to support communities to live longer and in better health.

Going forward our data and analysis of the evidence will help us, and our partners apply a health equity lens to all our health security work, to inform how we better target effective health services and wider interventions to those most at need.

This report is just the start. We need to build on these insights, as only through persistent and dedicated effort across all health organisations will we make a real difference to helping all people live longer and in better health.

UKHSA’s approach to reducing health inequalities in health protection involves:
- building our understanding of the people and places that experience these inequalities
- taking a ‘people and place’ approach, working with local and national systems to support integrated, tailored and accessible interventions that better meet the needs of different communities and groups
- working in partnership across national and local government, the NHS, the voluntary, faith and charity sector and communities themselves
- equipping the UKHSA workforce with the capacity and capability to address inequalities in health protection in everything we do
Inclusion health groups, such as people seeking asylum, people in prison, people experiencing homelessness and people who inject drugs are often disproportionately impacted by a range of infectious diseases. For example, it is estimated that over 80% of people in England living with chronic Hepatitis C have an injecting drug history. However, inclusion health groups are often not visible in routine health surveillance data.

In addition to the social, physical and mental health costs to our communities, health inequalities also have a significant economic burden. It was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23. In a recent UKHSA report summarising infectious disease trends, it was estimated that infectious diseases were the primary reason for over 20% of hospital bed usage, at an annual cost of almost £6bn in 2023 to 2024.
May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Former St Helens pub landlord failed to declare he was bankrupt when applying for Covid loan [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 2 May 2025.

Suspended sentence for former St Helens pub owner.
- Gary Wright was the owner of the Talbot Ale House in St Helens before it ceased trading in 2019, prior to the pandemic
- Wright was subsequently declared bankrupt in early 2020
- This did not stop him applying for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of the pub, failing to tell the bank he was bankrupt in the process
- The loan was repaid in full earlier this year
A former St Helens pub owner who failed to disclose his bankruptcy when he applied for Covid support funds has been handed a suspended sentence.

Gary Wright did not inform the bank that he was bankrupt when he obtained a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in the summer of 2020.

The 46-year-old made the application on behalf of the Talbot Ale House on Duke Street in St Helens town centre, the pub he ran before his bankruptcy earlier that year.

Wright, of Bleak Hill Road, St Helens, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 24 April.

He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in costs.

The Bounce Back Loan was repaid in full shortly before Wright was sentenced.

David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Gary Wright incurred significant debts after his business failed and he was ultimately declared bankrupt.

He then attempted to take advantage of a scheme which was backed by taxpayers and designed to support viable small businesses through the pandemic.

Bankrupts are legally required to declare their status when applying for loans or credit. Wright clearly failed to do this which is why he now has a criminal conviction.

Talbot Ale House ceased trading in September 2019 and Wright was declared bankrupt in February 2020 due to debts owed to a major utility company.

Despite this, Wright applied for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020, claiming the turnover of the pub was £400,000.

Wright remains an undischarged bankrupt, meaning he has not been officially released from his bankruptcy.

Individuals subject to a bankruptcy order must disclose their status if they borrow or obtain credit of £500 or more.

A pub continues to run from the same address but under different management.

Further information
- Gary Wright is of Bleak Hill Road, St Helens. His date of birth is 15 December 1978
May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 2 May 2025.

A sexual predator who posed as a photographer to lure women to his home before sexually abusing them has sentence increased after Solicitor General intervenes.

Anthony Williams (40), from Gloucester, has had his eight-year sentence increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal after the Solicitor General referred his case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The court heard that Williams pretended to be a professional photographer, approaching women online and luring them to his makeshift studio at his home.

During the photoshoot, Williams encouraged the women to undress before he sexually abused them.

He carried out 17 attacks over the course of nine photoshoots between July 2021 and December 2021.

In victim impact statements several women spoke about how much Williams had impacted their mental health. One victim said: “I find myself feeling like a mere shadow of my former self.”

The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

Williams exploited and manipulated women into thinking they were taking part in professional photo shoots but this was just part of a grim scheme to brutally assault them for his own sexual gratification.

Protecting women and girls is an absolute priority for this government and I would like to offer my sympathies to the victims. I welcome the court’s increase to this sentence.

Anthony Williams was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on 22 January 2025 after a jury at Gloucester Crown Court found him guilty of 14 counts of sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of rape. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

On 15 April 2025 at the Court of Appeal, Anthony Williams had his sentence increased to 12 years.

May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones [May 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 May 2025.

Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones.
- New British-made ‘StormShroud’ drones are at the cutting edge of defence combat air, taking advantage of learnings from countering Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine
- Brand new tech supports hundreds of jobs and shows investment in UK defence is driving economic growth, making communities better off, and bolstering national security by delivering on the Plan for Change
- Getting from the factory to the frontline at an unprecedented pace, the drones will fly alongside crewed aircraft as part of crucial RAF frontline missions, to knock out enemy air defences
- Tekever, who manufacture the drones, announce a further £400 million investment in the UK
Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones, known as ‘StormShroud’, which come into operation today (Friday 2 May), as the Prime Minister further bolsters UK national security.

It is the latest boost to the UK’s defence capabilities as the armed forces reap the benefits from Ukraine’s battlefield experience, and comes as the UK continues to play a leading role in peace negotiations, including building momentum in talks between leaders in Rome last weekend. The UK is also driving forward Coalition of the Willing planning as well as accelerating UK-Ukrainian defence industrial cooperation.

The StormShroud drone is a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind drone that will make the RAF’s world-class combat aircraft more survivable and more lethal. The drones offer a step change in capability by using a high-tech BriteStorm signal jammer to disrupt enemy radar at long ranges, protecting our aircraft and pilots. In revolutionary new tactics, the drones support aircraft like Typhoon and F35 Lightning, by confusing enemy radars and allowing combat aircraft to attack targets unseen. This means for the first time, the RAF will benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it, freeing them up for other vital frontline missions.

The RAF is investing an initial £19 million into the cutting-edge drones, which are made in the UK and directly support 200 highly skilled engineering jobs at multiple UK locations already from West Wales to Somerset, with further opportunities expected in future. StormShroud is just the first of a family of next-generation drones – known as Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) – being delivered to the RAF.

The Tekever AR3 and AR5 have had extensive use on the frontline fighting Putin’s illegal war, racking up more than 10,000 hours of flight for Ukraine’s forces. The RAF is taking the next step by integrating best-in-class signal scrambling technology into the drones to boost the UK’s defences at home, as the Prime Minister steps up UK defence capabilities to counter complex threats in the face of global instability.

In a further vote of confidence in Britain’s defence industry, British-Portuguese tech company Tekever, who manufacture the drones in the UK, plan to invest a further £400 million over the next 5 years across the UK and create up to 1,000 more highly skilled jobs.

The Prime Minister will visit to a Leonardo UK site in the South East today to see first-hand the expertise that goes into manufacturing the drones, and meeting the staff involved in delivering it, including many engineering apprentices representing the next generation of British defence industry excellence.

As well as stepping up to protect our interests on the world stage, this government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 means more secure, well-paid jobs for a generation that’s proud to keep our country safe.

Just last week, the Carrier Strike Group launched its eight-month deployment and will join exercises, operations and visits with 30 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia – led by the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The deployment sends a powerful message that the UK and its allies stand ready to protect vital trade routes in the Indo-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Investment in our defence is an investment in this country’s future. Putting money behind our Armed Forces and defence industry is safeguarding our economic and national security by putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people and protecting them for generations to come.

Together with our allies, this government is taking the bold action needed to stand up to Putin and ruthlessly protect UK and European security, which is vital for us to deliver our Plan for Change and improve lives of working people up and down the country.

It is a privilege to meet and learn from the young minds driving innovation in defence technology, and we will continue to invest in the industries of the future to deliver security and opportunity for the British people through our Plan for Change.
May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Universal Periodic Review 49 – UK Statement on Armenia [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 May 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Armenia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr President,

The UK welcomes the positive steps taken by Armenia since its 2020 review, particularly strengthening of the domestic violence law in 2024, which offers a robust framework for addressing domestic violence.

We also welcome Armenia abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances and their positive trajectory on media freedom.

However, we remain concerned about reported incidences of continued discrimination, hate speech and attacks against LGBT+ individuals.

We recommend that Armenia:

Implements an anti-discrimination law protecting sexual orientation and gender identity in all sectors to combat LGBT+ hate crimes and hate speech.

Ratifies the Istanbul Convention to protect women from violence and domestic abuse.

Implements a plan for community-based services to protect and include persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.

Thank you.

May 2, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Universal Periodic Review 49 – UK Statement on Kenya [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 May 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Kenya’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you.

We thank the Kenyan delegation and congratulate Kenya on its election to the Human Rights Council.

We welcome important reforms made since Kenya’s last review, including the commuting of all death sentences imposed before November 2022.

We commend the launch of the Strategic Framework for Police Reforms and the establishment of specialised courts for sexual and gender-based violence cases.

Following widespread protests in 2024, we continue to encourage the authorities to protect civic space and media freedom, and the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution.

We recommend that Kenya:
1. Fully implements the National Coroners Service Act 2017.
2. Strengthens anti-corruption and counter-illicit finance laws and practices, including by protecting whistle blowers, and passing and implementing the Conflict-of-Interest bill.
3. Implement the two-thirds gender principle in all elective or appointive bodies, with particular focus on the 2027 elections.
Thank you.
May 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Universal Periodic Review 49 – UK Statement on Lesotho [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 May 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Lesotho’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Lesotho’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President,

We thank Lesotho for explaining their efforts to protect human rights.

We particularly welcome the implementation of existing legislation to address gender-based violence. We urge the government to tackle structural drivers of gender-based violence and extend support services for survivors, particularly in rural areas.

We call on the government to protect the rights of those living and working in the vicinity of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Providing adequate compensation, employment benefits and educational opportunities, and safeguarding women from sexual exploitation are vital.

Lastly, we encourage Lesotho to address inequities in early years education by supporting children from the ebaPhuti and Xhosa peoples to access educational resources in their indigenous languages.

We recommend that Lesotho:
1. Provides communities affected by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project with adequate compensation, and access to related electricity, employment and educational opportunities.
2. Extends support services for women and girls in both rural and urban areas across Lesotho, including for survivors of sexual violence.
3. Implements a strategy to support children from the ebaPhuti and Xhosa peoples to access educational resources in their indigenous languages.
Thank you.
May 1, 2025